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Topic: Real Ambush Video & Comments (Read 9939 times)

I am posting this video because it illustrates a lot of points. I remember this happening back when I was working in Baghdad, and I saw the after action review at the time. My intent is not to criticize the actions of the team, but to make constructive comments.

Max...this isn't meant to be critical...I'm just telling you why I won't look at this...

After reading the description that you wrote, I'm sorry, but I can't listen to it. I have a son in the Marines, whom also has served in Iraq. His unit was hit by roadsides bombs...his vehicle was hit, but the vehicle in front of him took a direct hit. I don't know everything, because my son doesn't talk much about this, but he watched a soldier catch on fire and die...

He saw many other incidents, but we don't really discuss them either. I sent in a boy, and a different man came home....(I'm sure this is how it happens with all soldiers) We also had a friend of the family die by throwing himself over a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers. He was awarded the medal of honor (Ross McGinnis)

To listen to an audio, knowing that the soldier is hit and will die, is a little more than I can deal with..I know I like apocalyptic movies and such...but those are not real. I know that I am sticking my head in the sand, but when you have a son or daughter whom deals with the "real" stuff on a daily basis...then you don't want to listen to someone being hit and dying....it makes the reality of what could happen a little closer to home.

I'm sure there are lessons to learn, but I think I would like to learn them in a different way....besides, I can't imagine the pain this would bring to the mother of that soldier...God forbid that anything should happen to my son, but if something did, I sure wouldn't want it played on the net..

Max, this is just me, a woman, wife and mother...we tend to be the sappy emotional ones, and others may not feel this way...

May God bless each and every one of those of you whom are in the service or whom have served !

I respect your opinion and understand your reasoning. Perhaps I am also a little too hardened to it. I know that I had the video on my computer and my wife looked over at it and said it was very disturbing.

I have a purpose. Like other soldiers, marines, contractors and the like, I have been over there. I have seen it. I worry about what will happen here post-Collapse, even to loving mothers like you.

So, I want to open peoples eyes, do a little "battle inoculation" and prepare people. It is possible that if he was with you in a collapse, you son or perhaps veteran husband or whoever, may take the burden of family protection. I believe that everyone needs to share this burden and be aware, and able to defend their loved ones like a lioness if necessary.

That is why I wrote the book that I adverise in my signature - to bring this subject to normal peoples attention. The military and veteran types may be more inclined to read it, but those without tactical experience should also. Its not all about gunfights!

I'm sure there are valuable lessons there for those in or affiliated with the military. Or perhaps those in a larger MAG or something comparable.

I guess I'm not a good prospect for the book, I just can't relate.

It seems to me that if we're in a post collapse environment and I found myself in a convoy subject to ambush ... well, means that my preps failed.

I realize that you military folk get ordered to go out in such, but you also have supplemental backup. I won't be subject to the first, nor have the (relative) luxury of the latter.

I hope to maintain a very grey, uninteresting, largely self-sufficient existence off the beaten path. Scavenging, which makes for great drama in JDY stories (which I do appreciate btw), is not something I envision doing. I don't want drama. If it comes to me, that's a separate story, but it seems to me personally, rather than focusing on tactics to deal with ambush, I should very much wish to focus on tactics to altogether avoid the need for travel under such conditions.

As someone who helped trained NG troops bound for Iraq on conducting convoy operations, I wish I'd had that video as a good example of what not to do.

When was that video shot? Just from the vehicles the contractors are using, I'm guessing very early, 2004 or so.

I think it was late 2004 or 2005. You are right about it being how not to do it. It waa pretty (in)famous incident at the time.

CD: your approach and tactics are spot on. My main message is AVOIDANCE, followed by mitigation, followed by being able to react approproatiely if it does happen to you. I have written a lot about denial and the freeze reponse. Denial is a big killer in contact situations. Avoid if at all possible, but be ready and aware of the possibility that it may happen to you....